CONGRESSIONAL RECORD

Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Mark Scarano as he steps down after nearly three years as Federal Co-Chair of the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). Through his service on the Commission, Mark has continued his life’s work as a community economic developer serving areas that are most in need of support. Mark got his start in this field in Millinocket, Maine, and later in Piscataquis County. We in New Hampshire were fortunate that he came next to Grafton County, where for eight years he led its Regional Development Corporation and significantly expanded workforce development and entrepreneurship programs. In 2015, I was tremendously proud to support President Obama’s nomination of Mark to co-chair the NBRC, and his unanimous confirmation by the Senate was a testament to his stellar reputation and achievements. He has proved more than worthy of that honor, as he has been a tireless leader, steward, and advocate of the Commission’s important work during a period of tightening budgets and the emergence of new challenges, like the opioid epidemic, which are threatening our rural economy and its development. Ten years after it was first authorized, the Northern Border Regional Commission continues to play a critical role in driving the economic growth and community development in some of New Hampshire’s most economically distressed communities. It supports projects that create and sustain jobs, tackle workforce development, infrastructure, telecommunications, healthcare, culture, and much more. Mark has worked diligently during his tenure to streamline processes and procedures and maximize the impact of the Commission. Through his excellent leadership, Mark has been an invaluable resource to the Granite State and improved the lives of thousands who have relied on projects championed by the Commission. On behalf of my constituents in New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District, I thank Mark for his many years of dedicated service to the Granite State and the Northeast. His achievements will continue to benefit our state for years to come. I am honored to recognize and congratulate Mark, and wish him the very best of luck in the years ahead.